Vitak (Lion)-class cruiser
Vitak (Lion) Class: Cruiser Operators: Commonwealth Royal Navy, Republican Navy, Naram Navy Mass: 1,767,688 tons Cost: 11,589,589,403 talents Engines: :Right Engine Rating (25,000) :Center Engine Rating (50,000) :Left Engine Rating (25,000) Thrust: 2 Weapons: :Type (Location) ::C Spinal Mount (F) ::100 37.5/15 ® ::100 37.5/15 (L) ::50 30/30 (F) ::50 30/30 (A) ::Type E Missile System (3 Shots at 150 Points) Fighters: None Small Craft: 3 at 1,200 tons Cargo: 38,000 tons Crew: 1,206 Passengers: 10 Marines: 150 Extras: Anti-Grav Drives Overview "Fear not, my child, all but the Vitak. For it is the king, and it rules supreme, not with compromise, but with power and a mighty roar." So states Maka in the Naram children's tale of Maka and the King. The same warning holds true for the Naram-designed Vitak (Lion)-class cruiser used by the Royal Navy and some Renegade Legion squadrons. As cruisers go, this ship is designed to operate as part of a battleship squadron. In conjunction with other ships, it can match the firepower of ships of its size or larger. It has the strongest missile-delivery system in existence, making it dangerous to TOG battleships and lethal to any other ship in space. That is not to say that the Lion has no weaknesses. The largest gap in its design is the lack of fighter bays, which limits its deployment dramatically. The ship was originally designed by the Naram firm of Harquarth. After years of research and interviewing hundreds of humanoid and KessRith officers, Harquarth proposed a radical design for a Commonwealth cruiser. The ship would have maximum spinal-mount weaponry and missiles, sacrificing space for fighters. By 6706, the Royal Navy was testing 300 Lion-class cruisers. Surprisingly, it was the 100 operated by the Renegade Legions that proved the ship's value. During the eighth battle for Verol in 6792 in Hibbing County, the 4044th Battleship Squadron (Dorothea's Reapers) used two Lion-class cruisers, the Great White Shark and the Tigress. At the peak of the battle, Tigress broke ranks from the Renegade battle column and closed on a TOG battleship making a slow combat turn. The two ships became separated from the rest of the battle, fighting a private war. The first volley from Tigress's spinal mount struck the already battle-weary TOG vessel and crippled its mass driver. As the battlewagon tried to pull away for repairs, Tigress pursued, falling prey to more than 200 fighters protecting the TOG ship. Just as all seemed lost, Great White Shark broke free from the main battle and attacked the TOG ship with three consecutive missile salvos. In a matter of moments, the TOG ship was reduced to a charred hulk, adrift in space. Seeing their charge reduced to slag in a matter of seconds, the TOG fighters broke off their attack on Tigress. Capabilities The key to this ship's success is its emphasis on sheer firepower over all other concerns. This vessel's Martinson Type C spinal mount has proven to be a deadly weapon at short ranges. Even from distances of 7,500 kilometers, destroyers and other smaller ships usually avoid slow closings with a Lion. If they are not fast, this ship can cripple them before they can fire their weapons. Missiles are also important to the Lion's success. The complex By'Tor-La (Night Flame) missile system is a tribute to the Naram who designed it. The fire-control system supports its own independent backup center in case of damage to the Combat Information Center. The missiles can then be launched manually by gunnery officers, even when the ship is otherwise crippled. Carlas Innovations Inc. (CII) designed the 200 large laser bays along the sides of the ship. CII also provided the 30/30 lasers on the fore and aft of the ship. Though these have a shorter range, they are still dangerous. In combat situations, if the sublight engines are overheated due to damage, they can cause a static discharge problem in the area near the FTL drive. This static has killed dozens of engineering personnel over the years, and it often throws the TOOWEL 200 off-line. This can leave the Lion trapped in enemy territory. All Lions have small craft bays for holding three ships of up to 1,200 tons each. These gunboats and corvettes can provide support to troop landings, a duty that the Lion often draws. The shield generator systems on the Lion are of older design, and their flicker controls must be recalibrated frequently. Because this operation requires the computer facilities of a starport, Lion cruisers are frequently overdue for repairs. Deployment The Lion-class presently numbers 18,122 on active duty within the Royal Navy, with several thousand more serving with the Renegade Legion. Almost all these ships serve in a patrol/system-defense capacity or with standard battleship squadrons. Only a handful of Lions ever serve on deep raids into TOG space. Category:A to Z Index Category:Ships Category:Cruisers Category:Commonwealth Ships Category:Republican Ships Category:Naram Ships